CHAPTER III. , 159 obligations to him, and how necessary, and' how - delightful it is to enjoy his visits here, with whom it will be our happinessto dwell for ever. When we feel our spirits deeply impressed with such thoughts as these are, we are in the best frame, and most likely way to pray with grace in our hearts. II. When you come before God, remember the nature of this correspondence, it is all spiritual; remember the dignity and privilege, the design, and the importance of it. A sense of the high favour, in being admitted to this privilege and honor, will fill your souls with humble wonder, and with heavenly joy, such as becomes the favourites and worshippers of an infinite God. A due attendance to the design and importance of this duty, will fix your thoughts to the most immoveable attention, and strict watchfulness; it will overspread your spirits with seriousness, it will commandall your inward powers to devotion, and will raise your desires to holy fervency. You pray to him that hathpower to save and to destroy, about your eternal destruction, or eternal salvation, and if eternity, with all its awful attendants, will not awaken some of the graces of prayer, the soul must be in a very stupid frame. III. Seek earnestly a state of friendship with him with whom you converse, and labour after a good hope and assurance of that friendship. We are all by nature ene-inies to God, and children of his wrath ; Rom. viii. 7. and Eph. ii. 2. If we are not reconciled, we can never hold,communion with him. How can we delight in converse with an enemy so almighty ? Or pay him'due worship, while we believe he hates us, and will destroy us ? But oh ! how unspeakable is the pleasure in holding con- verse with so infinite, so almighty and so compassionate a friend And how'ready will all the powers of nature be to render every honour to him, while-we feel and know ourselves to be his favou- rites, and the children of his grace ? While we believe, that all his honours are our glory in the state of friendship, and each of his perfections are the pillars of our hope, and the assurances of our happiness ? Now, in order to obtain this friendship, and to promote this divine fellowship, I recommend you to the next direction : IV. Live much upon, and with, Jesus the Mediator, by whose interest alone you can come near God, and be brought into his company. Christ is the way, the truth, and' the life : and no man conies to the Father, but by him; John xiv. B. Through him Jews and Gentiles have access untp the Father; Eph. u. 18. Livemuch upon him therefore by trust and depen- dence, and live much with him by meditation and love. When a sinner under first conviction sees with horror the dreadful holi- ness of God, and his own guilt, and desert of damnation, how fearful is he to draw near to God in prayer ? And how much dis
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